Just how good is Sebastian Vettel?

Case for greatness – Sebastian Vettel celebrates with his team and admirers after a pulsating race at Interlagos in Brazil. But where does the Red Bull driver rank in the pantheon of F1's virtuosos?

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How good is Sebastian Vettel?14 photos

Dizzying denouement – On Sunday, Vettel fought off feisty toreador Fernando Alonso to capture the drivers' title in a dizzying denouement and join an elite band of Formula One world champions.

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How good is Sebastian Vettel?14 photos

Hard drive – It is mark of Vettel's greatness that he had come to from behind at Interlagos after a nightmare start on the opening lap when he was hit on the fourth turn and suffered damage to his car. It left Vettel at the back of the grid but by the 24th lap the Red Bull racer had clawed his way back to fifth place.

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How good is Sebastian Vettel?14 photos

Schumacher verdict – "Even if he appears to have a car that makes it possible for him, nevertheless he has to do it," said seven-time world champon Michael Schumahcer of Vettel's achievements.

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How good is Sebastian Vettel?14 photos

Special driver – "He's going for it 200% and it's a very tough job," added Schumacher of Vettel's talent. "He managed to pull it out and that is the extra effort that comes from him and to do this so consistently is very special."

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How good is Sebastian Vettel?14 photos

Newey genius – The 2012 season demonstrated that if you want to get ahead in F1 make sure you have a good engineer in your team. Arguably there is no better engineer in the sport than Adiran Newey.

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How good is Sebastian Vettel?14 photos

Schumacher domination – "Schumacher had five consecutive titles but that was in a period when Ferrari had influence on tyre development," said former McLaren GP winner John Watson.

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How good is Sebastian Vettel?14 photos

Rare talent – "The interesting part is that this championship has been so hard-fought and it didn't really come together until the last races,"said 1978 champion Mario Andretti. "This season has been one of the best in memory. Vettel is one of the rare talents that don't come along very often."

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How good is Sebastian Vettel?14 photos

Best designed car – "Vettel is making the most of the best design in F1," added Andretti.who is one of only two American drivers to have won the Formula One title. Here Andretti (R) is seen talking to Stirling Moss, during the championship winning season in 1978.

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F1's dark days – When Schumacher won his first world title with Benetton in 1994 it was also one of F1's darkest periods. The German won the San Marino Grand Prix in 1994 where both Simtek racer Roland Ratzenberger and three-time world champion Ayrton Senna lost their lives.

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Ecclestone acclaim – Vettel celebrates with Formule One supremo Bernie Ecclestone following his title win in Brazil.

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Prost record – Vettel is now chasing after Frenchman Alain Prost , who won four drivers' titles.

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The slaughter era – "Fangio is my hero," said former McLaren GP winner Watson. "Why I respect him is that he won five world championships in an era when motor racing was fundamentally a slaughter."

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Vettel's quest – Vettel aims to join Prost next year -- then five-time winner Fangio and Schumacher's magnificent seven are all that are ahead of him in his quest for total greatness.

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Story highlights

Sebastian Vettel won his third consecutive Formula One title on Sunday at Interlagos in Brazil

The 25-year-old becomes only third man to achieve the feat

Red Bull driver now sits alongside legend Ayrton Senna on three title victories

Three world champions and former McLaren race-winner John Watson assess Vettel's greatness

As the forklift trucks packed up the motorhomes and emptied the garages at Interlagos in Brazil, it did not take very long for the inevitable question to be asked - just how good a driver is Sebastian Vettel?

Sunday's race confirmed Vettel as just the ninth driver in the sport's 62-year history to win three world titles, joining greats Juan Manuel Fangio and Michael Schumacher as the only racers to triumph in three consecutive seasons.

However, what is telling -- given Vettel is still only 25 -- was the somewhat circumspect response from three world champions and former McLaren race-winner John Watson when asked to assess the Red Bull driver's talents and his place in history.

"It doesn't really change how many races you have already won, getting close to the championship is a big pressure," said Schumacher, the man Vettel describes as his childhood hero.

"Even if he appears to have a car that makes it possible for him, nevertheless he has to do it. He's going for it 200% and it's a very tough job.

"He managed to pull it out and that is the extra effort that comes from him and to do this so consistently is very special."

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When asked if he agreed with Alonso, Newey's face broke into a slow, broad smile before he responded: "No. What can I say?"

Crucially when Red Bull lost some ground at the start of 2012 because of a ban on exhaust-blown diffusers, Newey found a way to recover the car's performance and get Vettel to the front of the pack.

There is no doubt that over the last three years Vettel has had the benefit of a supreme machine capable of squeezing out consistent pace and cornering speeds on a variety of circuits.

"Everyone that [wins the championship] hasn't done it alone," added Andretti, who dominated his championship-winning season thanks to the legendary Lotus 79 ground effect car.

"You can have the best driver in the world but you need the car. When Schumacher and Fangio were winning they had superior equipment as well. Vettel is making the most of the best design in F1. That's what it takes."

Peerless car

Three-time champion Niki Lauda certainly believes that when you're racing in a field thick with five other world champions having the best car is a useful weapon.

"Vettel is the top guy, [Lewis] Hamilton is the top guy, Alonso is the top guy, Schumacher is a top guy too," Lauda, who was champion in 1975, 1977 and 1984, told CNN.

"You need a car, and you need a driver. Vettel is for sure as good as Alonso is - but you need a better car."

What is open to debate is whether Red Bull's peerless car obscures Vettel's abilities behind the wheel or it hides his limitations.

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Some of Vettel's F1 rivals are said to be of the opinion that he does not deserve all the accolades he receives given the car he drives.

Newey's response to that is: "I certainly don't underrate him -- if other people do that's their problem."

And former McLaren GP winner John Watson argued: "Vettel is a bright guy. Whatever the team provide him with he can capitalize upon.

"He understands what the car is designed to do and he can affect what it does on the circuit. For those reasons he is remarkable."

And anyway, Watson went on, Vettel is not the only three-time champion to benefit from superior equipment.

"Schumacher had five consecutive titles but that was in a period when Ferrari had influence on tyre development," explained Watson.

"Essentially telling the tyre company 'we want you to make tyres to suit our car and we don't give a sod about anybody else.'"

F1's dark periods

If Vettel's achievements over the last three seasons have aligned him with Fangio and Schumacher as the sport's only 'three-peat' champions, is it possible to judge these champions and their abilities side-by-side?

"You cannot compare 30 years back," reflected Lauda, who survived a near-fatal fiery crash at Germany's Nurburgring in 1976 before going on to win two more titles. "These are different times and different people.